I think that the answer to this question will vary a great deal depending on the person answering. Soft core artistic porn, that has a decent budget, and is geared towards people who don't really feel comfortable watching hardcore xxx action ... is still porn. I personally believe that porn is an art form, and the people who create pornography have great diversity in their attributes and talents. So my final answer would have to be that, erotica is a softer more sensual sub-genre of the almighty porn; and there ain't nothin' wrong with that!

This is a hard one. Excuse the pun. For me erotica has not only the sex scene but the emotions tied into it, and the artistry in images. Porn is just another genere rather than likening the two for me. They are two separate things.

Well, erotica to me does not include images. It's audio and written only. Porn includes images and video, perhaps audio only (I don't know as I've never sought out porn CDs LOL). I think your definition of erotica is my definition of artistic nudity? The visuals of which appreciate nudity for the sake of art, not the sake of sex.

For me, erotica is more sensual and suggestive--- something that gets the imagination going and/or has an emotional element to it. Porn is more "in your face" sex (no pun intended).

I have been thinking about my answer to this question for a bit now but could not really decide what my opinion was. I do like the notion that Alan and Michele suggest that erotica allows your imagination and creativity to become involved while pornography delivers the direct stimulus that you are craving. As in any medium both can be fantastic inspiration when done well and just plain mind numbing when done poorly.

What most of you point out - that porn is "sex" with no art or imagination vs erotica which does include both is what I used to think. I think if that is in fact the case, then perhaps a third category must be invented - one that encompasses all the negative that I defined as "porn" in my blog post. Because I don't think that the demeaning, malicious intent that I defined there should be placed in the same genre with the hardcore action.

@Adriana - I can see where you're going as well, as I used to view erotica as purely a reflection of the written word, as opposed to porn being all visual. However once I began writing and viewing both, I can see that both the visual and the written/aural can also be divided into sub-categories.

What most of you point out - that porn is "sex" with no art or imagination vs erotica which does include both is what I used to think. I think if that is in fact the case, then perhaps a third category must be invented - one that
...

What most of you point out - that porn is "sex" with no art or imagination vs erotica which does include both is what I used to think. I think if that is in fact the case, then perhaps a third category must be invented - one that encompasses all the negative that I defined as "porn" in my blog post. Because I don't think that the demeaning, malicious intent that I defined there should be placed in the same genre with the hardcore action.

@Adriana - I can see where you're going as well, as I used to view erotica as purely a reflection of the written word, as opposed to porn being all visual. However once I began writing and viewing both, I can see that both the visual and the written/aural can also be divided into sub-categories.

Well I think I should add that for me, either one *can* be artistic. Just check out Se7en Deadly Sins... there's a definite artistic element involved, but it's still what I would classify as porn because of the way the sexual scenes are delivered.

For the malicious, violent, demeaning, etc, I tend to classify that as "Fetish" porn and leave it alone. I don't think it's fair to classify all porn in that way though. For an example, see This Ain't Star Trek. Porn? Yes. Negative and malicious? No, actually it was quite amusing.

In my head, erotica must be capable of being considered art by its own right, while porn is for instant gratification.
I also think of it in terms of food; just like there's junk food and fine dining, there's also junk sex and fine dining sex.

I don't like pornography because a lot of times I feel as though it bashes women's rights and promotes child exhibition. I prefer to refer to this kind of thing as erotica because it's consensual, not just a job, and not forced. It's something that is enjoyed.